Bubble tower



Feb-28, 1933;

R. R. BOTTOiMS' BUBBLE TOWER Filed Aug. 14, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb.28, 1933. R BQTTQMS 1,899,409

BUBBLE TOWER Filed Aug. 14, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 151.4. 2/ 1 F9 I l ,516 -14 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 28,19 3.

- [UN TED sra'rss PATENT OFFICE.

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The invention relates to apparatus for ef-' fectiiiig iliszimatlecolfiitact between downflowmg m an up owmg gases or vapors by bubblingthe gases through the liquid. An apparatus of th1s type commorgcomprises an outer verticalshell subdivid bya series of horizontallydisposed partition lates to form intermediate compartments, 1: e platesbe provided with liqruid overflow pipes for the ow of the liquid om onecompartment to the next lower one, and means to cause the ascendinggases to bubble through the liquid in each compartment 'as said gasesflow u wardly from one compartment to the next higher one. a

One object of the present invention is, to provide a new and improvedbubblercap for eflecting-more intimate contact between thegases and theliquid.-

' Another object is to provide a new and between the gases and theliquid-being thus .secured.

Other advantages and will be pointed out hereinafter or will be apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying drawings. 7

In the drawings, there isshown, for urposes of illustration, oneembodiment o the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan viewof the bubble tower with the, crown sheet of the enclosing shell removedto show the interior of said tower. Fig. 2. is a side elevation of partof the apparatus, partly in section, and showing the ment of the bubblecaps and the over .flow pipes of the various compartments.

F 3 is a top plan view of a bubble cap on a arger and Fig. 4 is avertical section taken through one unit including a bubble cap and acooperatin overflowpi invention, there is provided an outer, verticalshell 10 in which are arranged a" series .of superposed partition plates11 disposed at predetermined distances apart to form a glllgahty ofsuperposed; compartments '12. gas,*vapor or other gaseous medium isdelivered or produced-at the lower part of the tower, and the liquid isintroduced or formed by condensation at the upper part in the usual orany suitable manne In order to pass the liquid successivel from onecompartment to the other, eac partition plate has passing therethrough aplurality of overflow pipes 13, each having. an n per portion thereofextending above a 'p ate 11 to maintain the desire liquid level abovethe plate, and a lowor portion leadingto a bubble cap in the next lowercompartment. Each plate 11 is adapted to support a plurality of suchbub- .ble capsdisposed in alignment with the overflow pipes of the nexthigher compartment. In'this vmanner, the bubble caps of one compartmentwill be arranged in staggered re ationship with the bubble caps of thecompartments above and below, thereby eflecting a'compact arrangement.

Each bubble cap includes a gas pipe 14 extending up from a perforationin the plate and over th1s is a cap formed by a pipe 15 concentric withand spaced from the pipe 14 and having a transverse partition 16 spacedfrom the upper end of the pipe 14. The lower end of the pipe 15 projectsbelow the liquid level maintained on the plate and may have a flaredterminal flange 17. This end portionis secured to an annular perforatedplate 18 spaced a short distance above the plate 11. The plate 18 may,if'desired, be

supported from the plate 11 by webs or brackets 19 and thevperipihery ofthe space beneath the perforated p ate may be closed by an annularflange or ring 20.

' Concentrically mounted withrespect to 9, 65- In a specific embodimentof the present said tube 15 and encircling the same in spacedrelationship is a tube 21, the lower end of w h may have a flaredportion 22 below the 'quid level and extending radi ally above theflange 17 to form an annular A liquid nozzle directed across the uppersuralso serves to support a screen plate 23 in position through theagency of-a bolt 24 passing therebetween.

The tube 21 may be supported .by 'a series of spacing members and theupper end extends a substantial distance per end of the tube 15.

above the up- -In the operation of the construction shown, the liquid isintroduced or condensed at the upper part of the tower, and as the levelof this liquid reaches a predetermined height above the plate 11, theliquid overflows into the overflow pipe 13, fills the cup, overflows theedge of the latter, sses between the pipes 15 and 21, and is ischargedthrough the annular nozzle at thelower end of these pipes into the lowercompartment. When the liquid above the plate in said latter compartmenthas similarly reached a predetermined level, the flow continues to thenext lower plate. The liquid thereby flows successively from onecompartment to the next;

At the same time, gas or vaporunder pressure is introduced or producedat the lower part of the tower and passes through the screen plate 23 ofthe bubble cap mounted in the lower plate, and flows upwardly throughthe gas tube 14 into the bell and from the -lower edge of the bell, intothe space beneath the perforated plate 18 and up through theperforations thereof directly into the liquid entering the chamberthrough the annular, horizontally directed nozzle.

In towers or, columns used for the rectification of volatile. fluids ofdifferent boiling points, the top plate will contain the mixture havingthe minimum percentage of the constituent of highest boiling point, andthe bottom plate will contain the mixture having the minimum percentageof the constituent of lowest boiling point. Similarly, if the tower beused for absorption purposes; the percentage of the absorbed or adsorbedgaseous medlum in the liquid or chemically united with a constituentthereof, will increase as the liquid approaches the bottom of the tower.

Therefore the liquid as it is delivered to each compartment will have alesser amount ow pipe 13.0f one plate is in of the us medium orconstituent of .lower boiling pointthan does the remainder of the liquidin that compartment. Furthermore the gas as it enters each compartmentfrom beneath the bell will have a higher rcentage of absorbableconstituent or a est boiling point than does the gas leaving the samecompartment.

As one important advantage of my improved apparatus the gas and theliquid enter each compartment at closely juxtaposed oints so that thegas bubbles up through the iquid which is more absorbent of the gas orof the lower boiling constituent than is the remainder of the liquid inthat compartment. Thus the gas and liquid are brought together in eachcompartment when under conditions which insure the maximum of thedesirable action, namely, the absorption, ad-

sorption or condensation of the maximum gher percentage of theconstituent of lowliquid, by reason of its velocity, has a tendency toremove the bubbles from the top of the ring as fast as they are formedat the upper ends of the perforations and thus prevents the bubbles fromadhering to the plate until they grow to any appreciable size. Thus theapparatus has a tendency to produce a greater number of small bubblesfor alfly given size of perforations and pressure -0 as.

aving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is! 1. A bubble tower including two superposedspaced plates for supporting separate spaced layers of liquid, 9. liquidoverflow pipe depending from the upper late, a gas 1n et pipe extendingup from the ower plate, said ipes being in axial alignment but spaceapart, a cup enclosing the lower end of the first mentioned pipe andforming a liquid seal to prevent upflow of gas through said pipe, a bellenclosing the upper end of the second mentioned pipe and having the topthereof spaced below the lower end of said first mentioned pipe toprevent downflow of liquid from said latter pipe through said secondmentioned pipe, and means for delivering the gas from said bell and theliquidoverflowing from said cup at superposed spaced outlets, the gasbeing delivered at the lower of said outlets.

2. A bubble tower including two superposed spaced plates for supportingseparate spaced layers of liquid, a liquid overflow pipe depending fromthe upper plate, a gas inlet pipe extending up from the lower plate,said pipes being in axial alignment but spaced apart, and a third pipeencircling said overflow and gas inlet pipes'and having its upper andlower ends spaced from said plates, said third pi e having a transversepartition between sai first and second mentioned pi es, whereby theupper end provides a liqui seal for the lower end of the first mentionedpi and the lower end provides a bell for t e upper end of the secondmentioned pipe.

3. A bubble tower including two superposed s aced plates for supportingseparate s aced ayers of liquid, 9. liquid overflow pi epending from theupper. late, a gas 111 et pipe extending up from the ower plate, saidpipes being in axial alignment but spaced apart, and a pair ofconcentrically spaced. pipes encircling the first -mentioned pipes andhaving their lower ends spaced apart and flared to provide an annular,orizontally directed nozzle, the outer of said concentric "pipesextending to a higher elevation than the inner of sa1d concentric pipes,whereby liquid from said overflow pipe flows downwardly betweensaidconcentric ipes and the inner of said concentric pipes ing spaced fromthe plate therebelow to form an outlet for gasentering through said gasinlet pi whereby said gas passes directly upwar ly into.l the stream ofliquid delivered by said nozz e.

.4. A bubble tower including two superosed spaced plates for supportingseparate ayers of liquld a gas inlet ipe extending upfrom the lowerpipe, a be 1 over the ugr end of said pipe and having an outwar y flaredlower end, an annular perforated plate connected to said lower end, andmeans for delivering li uid from the plate above exteriorly of sai belland ap roximatel horizontally from said flared en across sai perforatedplate.

5. A bubble tower including a air of interspaced superposed partition pates, each adapted to support a body of li uid, abubble .cap mounted onthe bottom p ate, an overflow pipe having a portion thereof extendingabove the upper plate, and the lower portion extending into said bubblecap, said bubble :ap including an annular foraminated plate, means fordelivering gasesto the underside of said late for passage upwardlthrough the per orations thereof, an annu ar nozzle disposed above saidplate for dischargin li uid radiall outwardly across the face 0 sa1dplate, an means for directing the overflow of liquid from theupperpartition plate to said nozzle.

6. A bubble tower including a pair of interspaced superposed plates,each'adapted to support a ho y of liquid, a bubble cap mounted on thebottom plate, an overflow pi extending down from the upper (plate anhaving the lower ortion exten ing into said bubble cap, sai bubble capincluding a foexten ing conduit radially spaced fronisai iquid to saidcompartment, and havin an raminated 11m extending hammy in a .horizontadirection, means for delivering ases below said plate for passageupwardly t rou h the perforations thereof, a verticallg overflow pipeand having the upper'end; thereof open andextending above the lower endof said overflow pipe, and havingthe lower end thereof open and disposedadjacent to said foraminated plate, and means for directing the liquidfrom the up r end of said conduit to-said foramina plate and; across theupper surface of the latter? 7 A contact apparatus of the bubble captype, including a p ate havin meansfor lim-f iting the maximum level ofuid su zported thereon,a passage for the up ow of e B. through. the

uid level on-the late, and an annular nozzle for delivering iquid in anapproximately horizontalstream radially from said nozzle, and directlyabove said annular gas outlet.

8. A bubble apparatus including an inverted cap, means for delivering agas beneath the cap, and a liquid 'conduit'larger than the cap andenclosing the same, said conduit having an annular substantiallyho'rizontall directed outlet facing radiall 'awa from t e cap. aroundthe periphery t ereo f above the lower'end'of late, and having an annuan outlet for delivering the gas below the liq facing radially away fromthe cap around I the periphery thereof above the lower end of thelatter.

10. A bubble tower including a li uid comartment, a vertical conduit forelivering annular outletbelow the level of li ui "-in said compartment,said outlet inclu ing a flared flange forming the lower wall thereof andexte'n ing substantially horizontally to direct liquid rom said conduithorizontally in said compartment, a perforated plate beneath said outletformingan extension of said flange, and means for delivering as to saidcompartment directly'beneath sai perforated plate, .whereby it passesupwardly through said perforated plate directly into the stream emergingfrom said outlet.

11. A contact apparatus, of the bubble type, including a liquidcompartment, means or delivering liquid to said com artment, and

including a pair of vertica ly extending tubular members, one encirclingthe other to permit the liquid to flow downwardly, between said members,the inner member having the lower end thereof extending below the liquidlevel 'in said compartment, and,

terminating in an annular flared flajn extending substantiallyhorizontally for irectand adjacent to but a ing li aid in a horizontaldirection a persage for the overflow o through sai upfiow of gas fromcom artment into the per orated plate and directly into the streamforate plate closely ad'acentto sai flange and extending outwar ytherefmm, and

means for delivering gas to said com ent beneath said perforated plate,w ereby it flows through said plate directly into the liquid directed bysaid flange.

12. A contact apparatus 0 the bubble type, including a pair ofvertically spaced upper and lower liquid supportin p ates, a pasliquifrom then per plate, means preventing the upflow '0 gas through saidpassage and a assage for the below t e lower lplate, preventing downflowof quid last mentioned passage, said passages being dis (1 insubstantial axial alinement, means or delivering liquid from said firstmentioned passa in an ap roximately horizontal stream level 1n the lowerplate, and means for delivering the gas from the second mentionedpassage directly beneath the stream.

13. A bubble tower includin a li uid compartment, a vertical conduit orelivering iquid to said compartment, and havi an annular outlet belowthe level of the liquid in said compartment, said outlet havin thebounding walls thereof extending in a 1mtion to project a. stream of liuid directly from said outlet in a substantia y horizontal means fordirection in said com artment, a perforated plate direct! beneati saidoutlet and contiguous to t e lower of said walls, and a passage fordelivering from below said fi ter through said emergin from said outleta ortion of said passage ingabove the 11 md level in said com artment toform a sea Signed at Louisville, in the count of J efierson and State ofKentucky, this 6 day of August, A, D. 1931.

ROBERT ROGER BO'I'IOMS.

low the quid.

